It looks like an average meal ... or at least it does to me ... to some people perhaps a microwave tv dinner looks like an average meal! Yeh yeh so whats so special about this particular dinner?
Absolutely everything on this plate is produced on our smallholding. The farthest any item has traveled to my plate is, ooh, a good 25meters, by foot.
Look at these runner beans. I love them! The purple beens are magical ... the flowers are purple ... the beans grow purple ... and when put in boiling water they turn green. How cool is that! The green beens are just as beautiful, with pretty red flowers. Both these things grow prolifically. We have four plants of each and thats more than enough for a family of four, plus ample surplus.
The apple sauce? We have six enormous apple trees (I just ran out in the rain to count them!) which have not fruited for the last two years. Last winter we decided to try hard pruning them, and set into the first step of a programme that will run over three years. It involved Dan climbing up about 15ft with a chainsaw and lopping off selected branches. Luckily there were no 'cutting-off-the-branch-on-which-he-was-standing' scenarios, although I can see how easy it would be for that to happen! Success, this year the trees have red globes weighing down their branches. So sauce, apple crumble and apple juice is in abundance again.
The peas, you've already heard me rant about the peas a few days ago. Then last but not least the roast ham, with crackling skin. Oh god the pork, from woodland to table, its flavour is unbelievable!
There, thats done it. Now I'm starving!
That looks like a lovely meal! Isn't that a wonderful feeling? We only have a city kitchen garden but this time of year when all but the meat is just harvested is so satisfying.
Posted by: mary lou | August 11, 2007 at 02:35 PM
Phenomenal. The fruits of all your labour. Absolutely amazing. Must be a helluva feeling!
Posted by: Deborah | August 11, 2007 at 09:14 PM
Aaaargh! Feed me! Feed! Me!
Posted by: hedgewizard | August 11, 2007 at 11:27 PM
Hello Sally mmmmmm can I come to dinner, you can almost taste it from the photo. Thanks for popping over to my new blog and leaving a comment its very encouraging. Your life over in Ireland looks idyllic. My attempts at growing vegetables for the first time were thrawted by the hundreds of snails that overran the garden. Hmm I wonder if snails do run. Oh and I forgot to say I have put you on my blog list hope that is OK. Take care Wendy
Posted by: 1snowflake | August 12, 2007 at 10:07 AM
Can I come to dinner please?
Posted by: carolyn | August 13, 2007 at 06:06 PM
ooooh, now you've made me feel really hungry! it looks wonderful, it's a lovely feeling isn't it.
Posted by: Leonie | August 13, 2007 at 09:58 PM
I can smell dinner from here.
Posted by: Vallen Queen | August 16, 2007 at 06:17 AM